Undercover (REWRITE)
by PastaLaVista-Baby
Summary: Three lifetime friends living in a collapsed nation build an experiment together. Upon giving life to the experiment, named -1.5, they find that she is more than just an experiment, and possesses true personality. When danger emerges, -1.5 steps up to stop the enemy before it destroys her and newfound friends. WARNING - M RATED FOR SOME LANGUAGE AND SUGGESTIVE SITUATIONS
1. Chapter 1

**THIS CONTENT CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON MY DEVIANTART PAGE, AS WELL AS ART, EXTRAS, AND SO ON**

Doctor H:

It all began on a day on December. It was cold, but not gloomy; just neutral. It was more or less a normal day, or at least it was upon waking. I sit on a raised chair in the place I call home. Others may not, but to me, this is where my friends and I live and survive, and that's really been all that's counted since the conflict got out of hand.  
>'Conflict?' one might ask. Let me explain: When I turned twenty-four, the nation in which my friends and I lived broke out in conflict. Our country was collapsing, and as a result, citizens revolted. Weeks later, we were attacked by three other nations, and in just a few months' time, we found our home unrecognizable. We fled from the eastern coast of our nation, to a place that was much safer, only because it had already been obliterated. My friends, as well as myself, found a quietly operating public building where we could live. It was near another settlement nearby, where there were others, and places we could get supplies. We built a home on the top floor of a mall, for more than once reason. We can experiment freely here, as this is what our jobs are. We don't disturb others, and we sell the things we make in exchange for food and other supplies. We live with only some struggle, probably not much more than anybody else in the land.<br>I am a scientist, and so are my friends. We all went to college together, and without them, I don't know how well I'd be coping with all of this. I simply go by Doctor H. My friend that is a boy goes by Doctor S, and my friend that is not a boy goes by Doctor V. I really don't want to explain my story, so I'll tell you theirs:  
>Doctor S moved here from eastern Europe when he was young. When he turned eighteen, his family left him here and went back. I met him in college, and in fact I really liked him a lot. After a whole bunch of events I'd rather not say, and the conflict, we've moved back here together. Doctor V came from South America. I met her when we were in elementary school, we went to the same college, and have stayed close ever since.<br>Moving on - it was a December day when the idea was presented to me. I'd never heard such a thing, and I even thought it was silly. Looking back now, I couldn't have been more wrong about it... it changed my life entirely. I don't know how I could even begin to explain it, but I remember it something like this:

It's a mild day out - not too gloomy, but not bright. It's December, so it's very cold.  
>I flip to the next page in the paper I'm reading. Bored, I place it down on the table. I look to my best friend, Doctor V, who is cleaning some equipment across the room.<br>"I see that there's really nothing interesting in there." she says. "If you want to be, well, un-bored, why don't you come help me clean these beakers?" she chuckles a little while she wipes a cloth across one.  
>I help her clean, and for a few moments, we talk about the conflict and how the paper reports it. She stops wiping the glasses and walks over to the table where the news is placed. She looks it over, and flips the paper over. She stares at the article on the back, reading it over.<br>"This is... this is really interesting." she says quietly, but with a smile. "You should read this. It's interesting." I take the paper and look over the article. It's about a famed scientist who created life forms out of materials out of fabric and metal, and donated pieces of his soul to them in oder to give them life. It freaks me out a little, and I'm not sure if the idea is safe. Doctor V frowns a little, seeing that I'm not too impressed.  
>Before long, we hear the door leading to the outside open up, revealing Doctor S. He says hello, and we welcome him home. Doctor V shows him the article after he puts some things down on the counter. He reads it over, and is seemingly interested.<br>"We should try this." he says to us both, with a smile.  
>"No." I say firmly. "I don't like the idea. I'm not willing to donate a part of who I am - It seems dangerous anyway."<br>"I really think we should at least try. We'll make an experimental one, and see where it goes from there. Could that work?"  
>I mean I guess we could just try. It's only an experiment.<br>"I... I suppose."

Later, we gather materials for such a project. Fabric, pieces of metal, anything that can work. We discuss what will become of this experiment. We decide it will be a girl, and we will make her from an old shirt of mine. We decide to give her a name that's different - one that nobody could take, one that nobody else could be quite like. We call her -1.5, and we decide we will bring her to life once she is complete.

It takes a few weeks to build a skeleton, but we manage to do it. She has a very small build, littler than the blueprints we worked off of. More days pass, and we place organs and and give her hair and fabric. We seem to have made a mistake in part of the process... we only gave her the organs she would absolutely need. I doubt this is is fatal; the only thing we missed were the organs in the abdominopelvic area. We did not complete an organ for her to bear children. It doesn't really matter, she's experimental, so she won't be reproducing anyway. We gave her breathing compartments, similar to the lungs, a heart, and a tank that will collect whatever she inhales. It is similar to a stomach, except no digestion occurs. On the positive side, her entire lower half of the abdomen is empty, which will make her flexible and lightweight. We check all of her joints, make sure she is sealed properly, and do final checks. We decide she is ready for the world, and place her to rest for the night. Tomorrow, she will experience the world for the first time. Tomorrow, 1.5 will be born.


	2. Chapter 2

9:

We walk the wastelands. We walk them for ages, hoping to start anew. 7, the twins and I have been searching for weeks, hoping to find signs of life or anyone else like us. After days and days and days, we've begun to lose hope of finding anybody.  
>It's winter. It's especially cold and seems like all hope is lost. 7 confronts me, making it very clear that she cannot take walking the wastelands aimlessly for any longer. She stops me.<br>"Where are we even going, 9?" she asks me. I see her eyes filled with questions.  
>"A better place." I respond calmly. "A place with others like us. It may take a while, but I'm sure we aren't the only ones out here. There's no way."<br>She just sighs as if we have no chance, and looks at me as if she's given up. We have been traveling for ages; I understand that part. But, I just don't feel we should give up. The creator wouldn't leave us alone in this world - he was a very good man. Perhaps he created more than just us, or maybe he even knew others who did what he did. I just don't believe it's possible that we're the only life left in the whole world.  
>"I just can't accept that we are alone. I will not believe such a thing." I say to her firmly. "We also need to find a place that's safe. I'd like to be able to live without worry about who is going to be next."<br>"I understand, 9..." she sighs. "But we've been looking for so long. There's nothing out here."  
>"You don't know that, and neither do I. We won't know unless we keep moving forward."<br>"You always say that." she furrows her brow, trying not to look at me like I'm unwell.  
>"7... what if just over the hill or just beyond our vision is what we've been looking for?" I say to her. "How would you feel if we missed it by just the tiniest bit?"<br>She groans, presumably saying that I make a point. She looks behind her, signaling 3 and 4 to move along with us. We walk for just a few minutes, tread up a hill, and to our surprise, looking into the distance, we see a field of lush grass, and a large, industrial building beyond that.  
>All four of us just fixate our eyes on it. Maybe, for once, this is the place we've truly been looking for.<br>7 just stares, seemingly defeated. She wears a shocked look on her face, as if the settlement in the distance is too good to be real. She looks at me, apologizes, and smiles a little.  
>"Can you believe it?" I say excitedly. "It looks so amazing!"<br>"I can't wait to have a look around." she states, agreeing with me.  
>"There are... there are so many possibilities now..." I utter. "W-what if we really do find others? Or what if we find humans?"<br>7 smiles at me, but explains that before we look for others, we must find our own place to settle. I agree, but still keep my hopes high. She lightly places her hand on my shoulder.  
>"We just have to find a home." she says softly. "I know you don't want us to be alone in the world. We... just have to settle in first."<br>I nod, and she continues.  
>"Once we find a home, we can spend as long as we please trying to find out."<br>On that note, we both smile, and begin to trek through the field. The twins follow us closely behind. The wind begins to pick up, but it is not scary anymore. It gives us reassurance, because for the first time since the battle with the machine, we have a place that we can call home.


	3. Chapter 3

Doctor S:

Doctor H stumbles back once the transfer is complete, and Doctor V and I catch her before she falls over. She grumbles, clutching her forehead in pain. We unplug the transmitter from 1.5, waiting anxiously to if see her eyes open. I look at the clock and start counting how long it takes until she wakes up. Eight seconds pass. I look down, and then at the others, hoping the experiment wasn't a failure.  
>Just then, we hear a murmur. She rolls over onto her front and lifts herself up. Upon standing up, she blinks her eyes a few times, and looks around, just observing the environment.<p>

"Whoa..." is all she manages to mutter. She looks at her feet, then her hands, and then wiggles her fingers in front of her face.  
>"Welcome to the world, 1.5." Doctor H says to her.<br>"Thank you. So... what exactly is going on?" she asks.  
>"We've simply given you life. You're the first successful test of an experiment."<br>"I... I see." she says, continuing to look around. "Am I the only one?"  
>"As of right now, yes. Considering this test went well, we may create others like you in the future."<br>"Oh, goody." she sighs. She looks so lonely - I can't help but feel bad. She seems so intrigued with the new world around her, but disconnected in a way, for she is alone.

Months pass, and we adjust to life with 1.5. She is a bubbly soul, with good humor and and a friendly attitude. She has changed since she was born - she was shy and reserved at first. She blended in because she didn't speak very much. She was quiet, and almost seemed scared of the world. She has opened up, though. She's let her hair down, both emotionally and physically. During 1.5's construction, Doctor H packed hair onto her skull so tightly that when 1.5 woke, she couldn't keep her neck straight. She shakes her hair out regularly, loosening it and letting it become long and flowing. Emotionally, she is so much more open and happy now. She giggles, she jokes, she initiates conversations. But still, I can't help but notice that she is all by herself. Looking at her, I can feel the desperation for familiarity that she longs for. Without another being like herself, she is desolate. Doctor V sees this too, and comes to me about it.

"What should we do?" she asks. "She looks so lonely. I can't help but feel bad."  
>"I think I know what we can do." I say.<p>

It took a short time to assemble 1.5 and give her life. I actually think we could do it again, in an even shorter period. In the next few days, we discuss it with Doctor H, who eventually gets on board with the idea. We begin assembly. Unlike the last, this one is too tall, rather than too short. He is male, and is an odd color. We find that despite his, well, green-ness, he will be unique and caring, for he will stand out either way. He surely will make a good friend to 1.5. He has big, round eyes, that seemingly show an ability to care deeply and protect others. A week or two passes, and he is complete. Once again, we face the issue of what we could name this new being. I look up for a moment, after placing him on the table to get some fresh air. As I look up, I see 1.5 quietly making her way out the window. She mouths something to me, smiles, and disappears. I continue looking, and Doctor H starts to wonder what I'm staring at. I tell her nothing and we continue working.  
>"We need to give him a meaningful name." she says.<br>"Like what? He's getting a number."  
>"A number that... that means something."<br>"Like a tribute?" I ask.  
>"I suppose..." she mumbles.<br>"How about... the number your dad used to wear?"  
>Doctor H's dad was a famous athlete before he passed away suddenly. I can see in her behavior and decisions that it was something she never really got over. Maybe this could help.<br>"You want to give him the number of an insatiable, intolerant man?"  
>"Well... no. I didn't mean it like that." I pause. "I-I meant it in more of a... paying respect kind of thing. I don't mean it any negative, insulting way at all... I just meant it because I thought it was special and that it'd have some deep meaning to you..."<br>"I... I see." she says. "That's... that's very kind that you want to pay tribute to the dead..."  
>"Well, my biological parents aren't here either, so... y'know."<br>"Thanks for trying to be sentimental." she smiles. "I think that name'll work."  
>She picks him up and turns him so that his back faces her. She takes her ink pen, and lowers it to his back. She lets it touch the fabric, and begins to etch the number 3 onto his back. I can't help but stare and get this eerie feeling as the ink bleeds into him. She lifts the pen, and moves it over, starting the next number. I scratch my neck, and exhale as she finishes the number. She looks at the number 30 as the ink permanently dries into the fabric. After a moment, she turns around and shows me him, now entirely complete.<p>

We let the body rest for a few days, before checking one last time for any issues or problems. We pick up from the drawer, and lay him on the table where the transfer machine is. We attach the transmitter to him, and make sure it's holding to him firmly.  
>At that, Doctor H gestures me to step forward, to the transfer machine.<br>"Are you ready?" she says.  
>"Yes." I smile and nod. She smiles back at me. "Let's do this."<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

1.5:

Months have passed. I take long walks every day, trying to walk as far as I can, so that perhaps I might find others like me. Not even others, just one would be okay. There's nobody in this world like me - I only want someone to relate to, someone like me that I can talk to, someone who will be my friend.

I've been out here for days. It's unsafe in these wastelands, but I make sure to hide when it gets dark. I sleep in covered places, tucked away from the sight of any predators, or monsters... or whatever is out here. I know that it's better to be in my own bed at night, but I can't make a lot of progress if I have to get back home every day. I don't mean to sound dramatic at all, but knowing that I'm the only one out here makes me feel a tad empty. What am I supposed to do out here all alone in this world?

I search the wastelands for a few more days. Though it's just a few more days till summer, it still is not all too hot here, considering the location of where the lab happens to reside. I feel a chill come across my shoulders, so I re-wrap a piece of cloth I've been carrying around me, and hold it closed with a pin. I move myself out of the shadows so that I won't get colder. I climb up a small pile of rubble and look around, in hopes that I can see the lab in the distance. I can see it only a little, but something else, something else much closer catches my eye.

At long last! It's another! I peer at him as he walks along, looking up at all the piles of remains of the world. He does not see me, but I hope that he will. I look back down at my path and descend from the pile of remains. I walk along, coming closer to him. I can vaguely see his number, but he is hard to miss. He is an unusual color - green - like the grass in the meadows just northeast of here. I feel my insides flutter just a little, knowing that I'm not alone in this world anymore. I speed up my pace, coming within a foot or so of him, before my foot hits a rock, and he turns around, on alert. He sees me, but is reluctant to say something. I try to read his expression, but with not much luck. He seems somewhat surprised, but more pleasantly surprised to not be walking around this world by himself. He looks me up and down one more time.  
>"Hello." he greets me. "I'm 30... a-are you out here all alone?"<br>"I've been out here alone for a while. You're the first person I've ever run into out here."  
>"That's... crazy." he says. He looks at me as if he wants to ask me something.<br>"1.5. It's a pleasure." I put my hand out towards him, so that he may shake it. He reluctantly reaches out and grabs my hand, giving it a gentle shake.  
>"So..." he says. "W-where did you come from?" he seems to be struggling a little with conversing. He seems nervous, almost as if he's already found a liking for me. I ignore the thoughts in my brain and answer his question.<br>"The same place you did, I believe. I'm from the scientists' lab. You can see it in the distance. I direct him towards the building far in the distance, and point to it so that he can see. I put my hand on his shoulder, only to guide him to where I'm looking, but he feels the touch and looks at me with a quick little smile.  
>I think I'm smiling a little bit too. I feel something like a current running through me, through the back of my shoulders - perhaps I am more happy than I am showing. I feel so much more electrified now - I've felt the touch of another being, another alive being who I had been hopelessly searching for for the longest time.<br>"Yeah, that's where I'm from too." he says. "The doctors told me to come and find you. They were scared that you had died out here."  
>"I see... well... at least I'm not out here by myself now."<br>"That's right. I'll stay with you. We can look for others together."  
>"Mhmm. We can also... just... stay together. We can be friends." I say quietly.<br>"Of course." he smiles. "I'll be your friend. I'll keep you safe, too."  
>"You'd... protect me?" I ask, rather surprised.<br>"Of course, do you think I'd have a chance out here alone?" he chuckles. "I'm so obvious, I'd be dead in less than a week!"  
>"You'd be fine!" I joke. "Now come on, let's get going. We have a whole world to discover." I grab his hand, and I feel a tingle in my own. I wonder for a second what just happened, but again, I don't think of it for long. He talks to me more, and time passes more and more as we walk.<p>

It's been about a week and a half - we made it farther than I've ever been. For the first time, we've made it to a body of water. The beach is calm, but just like everything else in this world, it's littered with garbage and rocks and whatever else is left of the previous world. The only thing that seems to be peaceful yet lively are the lightning bugs slowly making their way across the beach. The sky has plenty of them flying around and lighting up the world below. Combined with the sound of gentle waves washing ashore, it creates an environment that is calming and peaceful.  
>"You know, I didn't think there was water up here. This world feels a little too empty for something so... free-flowing." 30 jokes.<br>"I know what you mean." I laugh.  
>"Hey... that plank over there has something written on it. Should we see what it is? It might tell us where we are."<br>"Yeah, sure." I say, following him over to it.  
>30 is a little bit awkward, but not that much. It's almost kind of admirable in him, almost suiting. I've taken a liking to him. He's very kind, and good-hearted. He's sweet, too. He's protected me, and always been respectful - he's a gentleman, I suppose. I could almost say that I feel things for him beyond what friends would feel, and judging by his actions, it's safe to say that he might be feeling the same. He's the only one in this world. Perhaps just by nature he's the only one for me, as ridiculous as it sounds. I'm okay with him liking me, and I'm sure that feeling is mutual. I feel better when he's near me, and I feel less and less alone every passing day. He makes me feel special, and I very much enjoy being around him. Maybe all of this could work.<br>We make our way over to the sign a few yards away from the water. Something's written on it, but it's beat up and the words are hard to make out. After moving closer, 30 and I both look at it. All it says is _Cayuga_. Presumably, that's the name of the water body. We don't know what it means, and I don't think much of it because 30 has already redirected my attention to a space under the dock of the lake. It is a quiet little space, and it sits under the dock just right - there is a patch of grass underneath, and the wood planks above have caved in, creating a space where one can lay in the grass and still look up and stargaze.  
>"Aw, how beautiful." I say. "It seems like a good place to rest."<br>"Yeah." he says. He looks at me with a sheepish smile. Something in my chest flutters a little. His actions are kind of adorable. He's like a kid, but grown up at the same time - fun, joking, playful, but still mature and collected, if that's even possible.  
>We both sit in the patch of grass under the hole in the dock. He lays down on his back and relaxes. I sit next to him. He looks up at me, still with a smile. He moves his arm up and gestures for me to come closer.<br>"If you want..." he says. "You can come closer, I wouldn't mind it at all."  
>"Oh..." I murmur, but not sadly. "I... I guess. I'm okay with it." I smile, nervously. My heart beats a little bit faster.<br>I take off my poncho and place it next to me. I look over at 30, who is... trying hard to make it seem like he wasn't staring a little. I'm not really bothered by this, considering he basically just admitted that he has feelings for me. I lay down, and shift over to his arm. I rest my head on his shoulder, and we look up at the sky. It had been cloudy for about a week here, but yesterday it cleared up and it's been sunny for about a day and a half now. Because of the now clear skies, the stars are visible, and their light shines down onto the emptiness of this world. Everything is quiet, except for the sound of the waves, and a light breeze.

"It's all so peaceful." I say. "And so pretty, especially the stars."  
>"Yeah, it's really nice." 30 says, turning to me. "But personally, I think you're much better."<br>"Aw," I say back to him quietly. "You don't have to say things like that."  
>"But I mean it, I think you're great." he pauses. "I-I do like you a lot, actually."<br>"You're so sweet." I chuckle. "I'm pretty fond of you, too."  
>"Really?" he says. "You... like me?"<br>"I'd say so. I trust you, and I enjoy your company. You seem to care about me, and... I find your presence very comforting. I feel like you understand me. There's a lot of things that I like about you."  
>"I do care about you, 1.5. I care very much. You're really awesome. I... also feel comfortable and safe with you around, and you're just really interesting. Funny, too."<br>"Adorable." I say, cocking my brow at him. "You really know how to make somebody smile."  
>"Glad." he says, sitting up. I scoot towards him a little more, and he puts his arm around me.<br>"This is nice." he says. "When I was born, I thought that I'd get sent out here and spend so many days all alone. I never thought I'd be doing anything like this."  
>"Same here. Thanks for staying with me." I say.<br>"It's absolutely no problem. Thank you for being with me too."  
>"You're so... I don't know what word I'm looking for... confident?"<br>"Well, there's only two of us. Not much of a point in being shy." he jokes, and gives me a comforting smile.  
>He places his other hand on my side, and kind of just looks at me in a way that's asking for permission. I really don't know how to look back at him, but I feel like I'm okay with this. I'm scared, and I don't know what to do, but maybe I should let him do this. I've been out here so long that I've basically built a wall around myself, always staying sharp so that I won't be able to get hurt. Perhaps if I let 30 kiss me, I might change a little. Maybe I won't feel so tense, so scared of the world. He makes it better for just being here, but maybe if something more were established, I'd feel so much better. I haven't known 30 for a long time - only about twelve or thirteen days. But, in that time, we talked every moment we were awake, and we had gotten to learn a lot about each other. I really appreciate him, I love his personality, his sense of humor... I wouldn't trade how safe he makes me feel for anything. Maybe I should do this. I let the thought of 30 kissing me pass through my mind, and it suddenly feels a little better. I'm okay with this. The thought of it makes me want to smile, and it makes me feel... mushy, and soft - kind of like a pillow. I look at him, to respond to how he looked at me before. He smiles and moves in closer to me. I lean towards him in return, but before his lips can even touch mine, I hear a sound. It's much louder than everything else going on around us, and it's also a very unnatural sound. I get up and immediately start looking around us for any disturbances.<br>"Did you hear that?" I ask 30. "It was loud!"  
>"I... no. That's not exactly what I was thinking about..." he chokes on a laugh.<br>"Wh... what do you think it was?" I turns to him, asking nervously.  
>Before he can say a thing something huge comes from above, nearly crushing me. I jump back as quickly as I can, to see that what nearly killed me is the giant, skeletal foot of some animal, reinforced with metal and wires and nails and so many inorganic things I cannot name... Its head comes down to our level, and our whole environment turns red from the glow of its eyes. I look and all I see are teeth, just a part of a giant enemy that could kill both 30 and I very easily. It growls at us, and my stomach drops so fast that I don't even think, I just grab 30's and start running as quickly with him as I can. It's quick to follow us and we jump out of the way just as it swings a claw at us. I pull 30 off the beach and behind a pile of rubble, where we try our best to hide. I try to stay quiet while I search for something I can use to fight. I discover a metal pole and dislodge it from some scraps, and just as I get it out, the rubble collapses as the beast searches for us. We avoid the falling remains and keep sprinting away from the beach and towards the lab. I jump into harm's way and throw the pole at the monster as hard as I can. It hits the monster's eye, bursting it, and making sparks fly everywhere. I retreat, but before I get out of range I feel pain all over, and that I can't breathe at all. My mind unblurs itself, and I realize I've been hit, and gone flying into something a good distance away. I feel myself hit something face first, and then I collapse onto the ground, convinced that I am about to die. I try to recollect myself, but I fall again. My hands are covered in blood, my own, at that - I look at my arms to see one has been torn open, all the way up past the elbow. I also can't tell how much I'm bleeding, because I can barely see. My vision is a bit blurred, most likely because of the hit. But I try to get up and see that I'm having trouble keeping my balance. I stay up on my knees, and I rub my face, hoping it'll numb the pain in the whole right side. I look at my hands again, still discolored by my own vital fluids. I put my hands over my... eye. I feel my whole face again pressing where my right eye once. Quickly looking at my palm, I see blood that's pouring out, floating in it are glass shards and pieces of cloth and metal. I try to stay as calm as I can, but the fact that I'll have trouble seeing for the rest of my life is making it very difficult. My whole body shakes as I try to even come close to pulling myself together.<br>I look around, looking for 30, looking for the beast, trying to regain control of myself and get us both out of here. I stumble over past a pile of debris, and see 30, trying to fight off the monster by himself. I try to run to him as best I can, wobbling and stumbling as I move. 30 sees me, and his face just says it all about what I look like now. He asks me something, but all I hear is a blurry mess of noise in my head, which is torn open and entirely disoriented and pouring out blood like the second end of the world is coming. The monster notices me, already nearly defeated, and rushes towards me. I look up at it with my one eye, ready to go unconscious. It raises its limb at me again, ready to strike. I exhale, realizing that I am about to die. Just before it hits me, I am shoved to the ground. I hear a scream of pain, and somebody shouting for me. I try to make sense of all of this, but I am bleeding to death so quickly that it doesn't really even matter. I wonder where 30 is. I am able to see him out of the corner of my left eye for just a moment, and then the whole world goes black.


	5. Chapter 5

30:

My eyes open, only to a blurry image. I must have hit my head really hard. Two figures stand over me, looking relatively similar. As my vision starts to clear up, I can make out one figure, 1.5 - she looks... different. Her hair is different, and she seems beat up beyond repair. I look at her posture, I can tell that she's tired. I feel really bad for her.  
>The other figure stands next to 1.5, also with grey skin, but wears a lock around her neck and has the number 15 written into her front. She has brown hair, a bit shorter than 1.5's.<br>"Wh... what happened?" I mutter, worriedly.  
>Someone's hand is on my cheek. My eyes refocus and I see that it's 1.5, who is okay, but has permanent scars.<br>"We were attacked... both of us were severely injured, but 14 and 15 managed to save us right before it was too late." She pauses for a moment, seemingly to think about her own injuries. "M-meet 15. She and I sealed your wounds up."  
>My wounds... I didn't yet realize how badly I've been injured. Even if I couldn't see most of them, I can sure feel them. My body is killing me... my knee's been sewn back up, but it still hurts a lot. My arms are sore - I tore both of them open a little. And last of all is my face. The wound burns so bad, it's like this line of extreme pain going diagonally down my face. It's excruciating, but just knowing the fact that I'm not dead makes it a little. Oh, and that 1.5 is okay.<br>"How are you feeling? Alright?" she asks. Her hand rubs the side of my face, as if she's trying to make sure I stay calm and relaxed.  
>"Much better, especially knowing that you're not severely hurt." I turn my head towards 15. "Thank you for saving us."<br>"Oh, you're welcome. Thank you for letting 14 and I stay here in return."  
>1.5 explains that 14 and 15 will be staying with us now, and explains about their old clan.<br>"That thing..." 15 stutters. "That thing that attacked you had terrorized my clan at one point... It killed some of my old friends. This thing is back, and it's a GIANT problem. We... we have to do something before it picks off all of us too!"  
>1.5 and I look at each other, and then back at 15. 1.5 slides off the edge of the table, and seems to hold her breath for a second.<br>"We have to do something before that thing comes for us." she says. "We'll start making a plan as soon as possible."  
>"Right." 15 agrees. 15 leaves the room, and 1.5 kisses me on the forehead before following out the door.<br>"Feel better. I'll check on you in a few minutes."  
>She leaves. I realize what kind of threat has just come about, and I feel... scared. I don't want to get hurt again, and I especially don't want 1.5 to have any more damage done. I want our new friends to be safe too. I don't want anyone else to be hurt, I just want this fight to come and go quickly with as little loss as possible. I doubt this will be the case, but I can only hope.<p>

I wake up the next morning with a horrible headache. I'm not surprised, but it's so bad it's almost disorienting. I feel... heavy... like there's a giant weight in my brain, and slow and sluggish too. Generally, I feel terrible, but I'm not in danger and neither are any of my friends. I need to talk to 1.5 as soon as I can. I want to thank her for defending me the night we were down at the beach. I would have died if she didn't try to help me. I will admit I do have feelings for her, I'm afraid I'm falling quickly. She just kind of makes everything brighter. Her smile, her sense of humor, and her laugh... oh, I love her laugh. It's so... up, in such a down world. In just a matter of days she's made this whole existence of ours much less glum. I look back on the day I did not know her, and I already have trouble imagining it. I even had the chance to kiss her, but with the fight and all it didn't happen. I really did want to - I was hoping I could do it, and I came very close to having done it. I enjoy having her in my life whether I was able to kiss her or not. Perhaps I could tell her how I'm feeling and see if she'd like to make a commitment. I think it would go well if I did.  
>I'm excited to see her, so much that I don't really knock on the door to her room. I more just walk in, assuming she's doing nothing but standing there, waiting for some noble knight to whisk her away to a happy place. I was fairly wrong - I walk in to see her brushing her hair in front of her mirror. She looks different - unrecognizable, really. Her frame looks thinner, mostly due to damage and exhaustion. And her hair, it's so much longer. She must have brushed it out, but it looks amazing, actually. I like it on her. It suits her in a way.<p>

I trip on my words upon entering.  
>"Hi! I mean- oh, damn, I should have knocked!"<br>"Eh, no worries." she says. "What's up?"  
>We both kind of realize it at the same time. 1.5's fastenings are undone - she's, uh... naked. She crosses her arms to cover her chest.<br>"Oh, goodness. I'm sorry... I-I-I really should have knocked..."  
>"Chill, dude." she laughs. "It's kinda whatever, actually." She puts her arms down and I may or may not be able to see everything. My brain is screaming.<br>I'm torn. She's so... okay with this. I feel like I'm intruding and being too close. I don't want her to think I'm looking for something else from her. I mean, if we got there someday that'd be great, but it's much too soon for that. And judging by the fact that my body's telling me to go ahead, it's certainly not that I don't want to do it. My mind tells me no, and that it's not time. My conscious is so divided. It thinks she's so beautiful and amazing and wonderful. And... has very attractive features, apparently. My body, though, is so tense upon seeing her like his. Eyeing her figure, which I try all to hard to help but can't, is stunning, is killing me. Just looking at her is making me just want to jump out of my skin. Despite of that, I hold myself together and look away.  
>"I barged in on you, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't be seeing you this way. I don't have the right to look at you like this unless I have your permission."<br>She comes closer to me, and grabs my hands.  
>"Permission granted." She says. "I trust that you can deal with this."<br>"You're awfully comfortable about this." I say, awkwardly.  
>"Eh, it's just a body, really. You just happened to walk in at a time where I wasn't expecting you."<br>"I-I'm so sorry, I really will leave." I say, hoping to at least recover from this a little. "I didn't mean to-"  
>She hugs me, and kisses my cheek. I feel my face get really, really hot, knowing that the girl I seem to be interested more and more in is pressing her bare form up against me and giving me kisses. I'm really trying to hold myself together here, but she's making it extremely difficult.<br>"Thank you for saving my life, 30. Really, it means the world."  
>"Hey, it's no problem. You helped me, and I helped you." I stammer a little when I continue to speak. "I-I care about you very much, I want you to know that. I know I haven't known you for all that long but I did get to know you quickly... and I really like you."<br>"Really now?" she chuckles. "Well, I think I feel a similar way. I do care for you as well, very much."  
>I try to respond but I can't really breathe for a moment. Having 1.5 so... close... and her saying all of these things about how she feels is just filling my brain up with confused mush.<br>"I'd put my trust in you, considering you saved my life. Would you put your trust in me?" she smiles.  
>"I, uh," my eyes shift a little. "Judging by your tone, it kind of sounds like you want me to put something else in you." That was more meant as a joke, considering how touchy-feely she's being. She laughs as a response, but does get I'm at least attempting to flirt with her.<br>"I think I adore your sense of humor." she pauses. "But, in all seriousness, I care. And, well, as shown, I-I do have trust in you." I hold her hand.  
>"Do you have feelings for me, 1.5? Do you... think we should, uh, be a pair?"<br>"I do, and if you're asking me to be yours, I'll certainly say yes. But you're going to need to ask me with a little more confidence than that."  
>"Okay... so, uh, 1.5? Would you be my companion?"<br>She giggles, and squeezes my hand. She looks up at me, with some degree of admiration, and gives me a smile.  
>"Yes, I'll be your... companion." she smiles some more and we hug upon deciding to be more than friends.. "Interesting word choice, by the way. Very... cute."<p>

Hand in hand, we walk downstairs for the first time as a couple. The doctors have some mixed words for us - Doctor H is angry and upset. She rants and raves about how we weren't careful and should avoid the wastelands for a while. She also comments on 1.5's new appearance, about how she no longer looks anything like how she did when she was first born. Doctor S, on the other hand, compliments 1.5's change. Not much happens for the next few hours. We introduce ourselves properly to 14 and 15, and begin to establish a friendship (and the basis for a plan to fight back). At a later time in the day, about 2 PM or so, 1.5 decides to sneak away for a quick walk out in the fields, rather than the wastelands. She asks me if I'd like to come, but my head is still hurting from the fight, so I decide to stay back. I'd like to talk to Doctor S anyway. I can always go to him when I need something. Considering he donated a slice of his soul to me, we're on the same page with most things, and I'm assuming he understands me, because technically we are not very different.  
>1.5 leaves (well, at least I think so), and Doctor H leaves to go to the other room.<br>"Lucky you." he jokes. "You guys are a thing now?"  
>"Yup!" I say proudly.<br>"Well, good for you." he says. "She really likes you, you know. While you were still out of it, she was telling me about all the time you guys spent together before the attack."  
>"Really?" I ask, a bit surprised by how fond 1.5 seems to be of me. "I mean, when we got attacked she did try to protect me..."<br>"Well, yeah. Because she really cares about you."  
>"I know that." I say. "Especially after this morning." My eyes shift quickly after I realize what I said, and the doctor immediately smirks and becomes suspicious.<br>"What else happened this morning?" he jokes.  
>"Nothing! Nothing!" I shout. "That came out wrong!"<br>"Eh, well, whatever you say." he jokes. "I'll have you know that she does have a couple of... interesting factors, just saying."  
>"Interesting factors? What do you mean?"<br>"Oh, you don't know?" he laughs. "I know you two haven't gotten all too serious, but uh... nevermind. Forget I said anything, do you like 1.5?"  
>"Uh, of course, I mean I just asked her to be in a relationship with me."<br>"She gives you the warm fuzzies, huh?"  
>"Sure, but I kind of think she was looking to give me a lot more than that a little while ago..."<br>"So something DID happen!" he exclaims. "What do she do?! You can tell me! This is a man-to-man conversation now!"  
>"I uh... walked into her room while she was, eh, indecent."<br>"Smooth." he laughs. "That's exactly how you get the bitches."  
>"I wasn't trying to do anything to her! I came to thank her for defending me!"<br>"Sure you did, champ. So, what did she do?"  
>"She didn't cover herself or anything. She was totally okay with it - she just kept talking to me. She even hugged me!"<br>"Sounds like somebody's wants the d..."  
>"Uh, what?" I ask, alarmed.<br>"Nothing, it's an old joke..."  
>"But, either way, what do I do?!" I wail. "Where do I stand in all of this?"<br>"Wherever you feel is best, I guess." he shrugs. "Move slowly."  
>"Like... what do you mean?"<br>"With, eh, progressing in the relationship." I hope he doesn't mean what I think he does.  
>"Still vague." I chuckle.<br>"Okay, what I mean is, like, don't be giving her a hug today and then have sex with her tomorrow."  
>"I had no idea that was even on the table..."<br>"Eh, when you're dating someone who can't ever get pregnant then it is... well, eventually."  
>"Wait, she can't-"<br>"Nope!" Doctor S shouts. "You've got a pass, my good sir!"  
>"Well, damn." is all I manage to mumble. My perspective changes slightly. Before I can speak again, I see Doctor S look over at the window, looking somewhat mortified.<p>

"You know, I just came back for my poncho, but thanks for the heads up, you two." She walks across the counter and into the house. The doctor and I just look at each other, scared and wondering what to say. She comes back out a few moments later, putting the poncho on as she steps away from us.

"If either of you happen to need me, you know where I'll be." she pins her poncho shut. "And, for your information, since you seem to be wondering, I almost died a few days ago. I can handle anything you dish out."  
>Doctor S looks at me.<br>"I'm telling you, she wants the d."  
>She looks at the doctor as if she were laughing inside, then smiles at me and leaps out into the world.<p>

Oh dear lord, I'm doomed.


End file.
